Aspirations

Roman: When I get big I want to live in a department.

Why is that?

R: So I can go to the top and see the fine view...the good view.

Friday night fun

"Let's pretend It's a hottub."
Let's.
Two minutes later...."aaaaaah.GET OUT!" (after the brother helped make smaller pieces of Styrofoam....that are right up there with glitter when it comes to stick-ability.

We love PBSkids.org + other things

I sat down to my computer to find this. 

The last items of yesterday's Pbskids.org activities.

Kids get to play games.

Learn.

Build robots.

Minty-breathed ones that can apparently keep up with that fly ball.

The flame gives away the builder I think.

Online play is the updated tv as babysitter, I think. The Kindle is lost too. 

Problem is, once the kids are occupied, I CAN'T start that Lincoln biography, because it's on the Kindle.  Waste time online? No, my computer is occupied. DOH!

I was thinking yesterday that no matter what the situation the younger generation always wants more. We took a short mini vacation up north (up north, this winter??!). Good hotel deal in Crosslake, MN.  Roman was sitting in the jacuzzi watching tv. Absorb that one. 

In the jacuzzi, watching tv.

He's five.

What does he say? "I want to watch Netflilx!"

Regular tv isn't good enough.  Actually not even 'regular,' but cable or satellite - already an upgrade from what we have at home. Editorial: or a downgrade, there is nothing about cable or satellite that makes me think it's an asset. Thank God for public tv. MN public tv at least. And Netflix. We get our money's worth with that (and so apparently does everyone else, the stats for how much internet traffic is due to Netflix streaming is staggering- almost a third it looks like).

We made full use of the jacuzzi. Well the kids did.

And the pool. Pools. There was a kiddie pool, which will forever remind me of Zoe's inquiry a year or two back. We promised a kiddie pool when we visited Uncle Andy and Aunt Laura's neighborhood pool. We got there and Zoe wondered where the kitties were. Bah dum dum.

We started in the kiddie pool, and a little girl wanted in for the photo op.

With the life vests on they were "swimming" on their own in the big pool in no time.

Mid week visits do allow you to have the pool pretty much to yourself, which was nice.

And the restaurants too.

Zoe's dollar store treasure

Roman's dollar store treasure

How do you make water?

You don't make water, Zo.
It's on the earth, in the lakes, in the clouds and it rains and goes back in the lakes and in the earth.
How does it get in the clouds?
Condensation.
How did it get on earth?
Well Zoe, people believe different things, but I believe God put it here and made the whole thing.
Me too!
Then....connecting the (zig zag dots) "God made lotion!"
Ok.

Love is all around

Alliteration Game

I can't say that I knew what alliteration was when I was 5. Or 10. 12? Maybe. 15? Most likely.
41? Sure I remember.

Zoe gets a book a week and is tasked with getting it back the next Wednesday after reading it with a parent and making an entry into her journal. Pictures, words, whatever. It's a early literacy activity that is really rather cool. Apparently it is something that is tied to the Americorps staffer who is in Zo's class to help kids who need a little extra to get up to speed, but she had enough books for every child, so every child gets one. Good. Although sometimes its like pulling teeth to get her to sit down and make an entry, which is rather ironic since she comes home with a minimum of 5 pieces of paper every day. Sometimes its just her name, but usually it's a picture of some sort. Volumes.
So tonight all 3 of us were reading the Dr. Seuss book (Apples Up on Top) . Suddenly Roman says something about alliteration. Uh, excuse me? "That's when words sound the same at the beginning." You bet.  Apparently there is a little ditty they sing and then they are asked to give a thumbs up or a thumbs down on whether a pairing of words fits the definition. So off we went.
I thought I'd be tricky and said "Bat. Cat." There's no foolin' the boy. After awhile I asked Roman how many he got right in class "All of them."
Ok. Can't wait to see how they did on the last round of testing. Last fall they were well into kindergarten level, which probably makes sense for their age.

A.K.A. Robot Monkey

At least that is the title that Roman gives this sculpture as he sits on the arm of my chair as I upload this. I mean Picasso, what does he know? Baboon and Young (La guenon et son petit) - where's the panache in that? ;)

We visited the Minneapolis Institute of Arts briefly yesterday after a visit to the Children's Theater.

We made our way to the modern art section, a little more accessible for young minds. R and Z remembered the big white dog from our last visit, so that was our goal. Along the way we found other things (Mr. Lincolnton, for example), but also this guy. Robot Monkey.  I passed right by, but Dad asked if we'd seen the monkey made out of car parts. That call all our attention. So back we went. Wow. Pretty cool .

Dad provided the opportunity for a closer look.

A head made out of a car (or two, to be precise).

Prior to our art appreciation time, we went to the Children's Theater to see a very cool production of the Hungry, Hungry Caterpillar 

It was less than an hour long, but based on Zoe's reluctance to even be there, it was a good introduction to a live production. And once it started, both were fine.

Who's this guy, kids?

Zoe gave up.

Roman had a look that said "I think I know." So I prompted him to tell us.

"George Lincolnton!"

Awesome job, dude.

(at the MIA).

Toothless, part one

With a lot of wiggling and a lot of looking in the mirror to examine the loose tooth, it came out.

Last Sunday and Grandma and Grandpa's house.

Thank goodness.

Anxiously Awaiting...

...the departure of Zoe's lower front tooth.
It's been loose since Christmas break and I thought it might come out before she went back.
Nope.
Then I thought for sure it was going to be out on Wednesday night.
Nope.
And we (or maybe I) suffered the incessant questioning.
"Is it going to come our tonight, Mom?"
"Maybe, it's pretty loose."
5 minutes later.
"Is it going to come out?"
"I don't know Zoe"
3 minutes later
"It's really loose"
"I know"
2 minutes later
"Is it going to come out tonight. I WANT it to come out tonight"
"You do? Why?"
"I want the tooth fairy to come!"
"Ah. Well, we'll see"
5 minutes
"Why isn't it coming out?"
And repeat.

Got me thinking that the tooth fairy needs to have a plentiful supply of small bills. And maybe even a fancy little container to put it in. And maybe she'll even leave a little note.
One never knows.

It's still hanging on, but just barely.

1. CirN

2. HArKAot

3. CorPit

4. PLe

Zoe got her first (2) in a long time during December. Roman has been getting them for quite a while (and regularly!).  We visited a (3) this fall. (1) and (4). ?

Word Pezl

1. Pezl

2 feFit

3. PePr

4. cAFAturA

5. ƧMiL

My guess? You might (5) after you finish this (1). Then head to the (4). I don't know about (2) but if you figure it out (3) your conversations with it.

Cold.

Brutal Cold. Polar Vortex cold. I'm hoping I don't hear that term for another 20 years. We've had horribly cold weather over the last month. It started with January weather in December and then insanely cold weather in January. Colder in parts of the Midwest than in was in the Arctic. Happy 2014. 

I spent the weekend having fun with the other seasonal complaint: bad health. I got over it, although now Zoe and Dad have fallen...

Last weekend Zoe came in and produced a gift for me. I was half asleep, but Dad took a photo.

I HOP YOU FIL BeDr.

I did when I saw that!

Immortalized

Yesterday was to be the last day off of school for the Christmas holiday.  Mom was back at work, Dad had a meeting and some errands to run. Grandma Candy came over and stayed for pizza and a movie. The movie? Return of the Jedi. In the last couple weeks the kids (well more so Roman) have FINALLY watched some of the real Star Wars movies.  Roman has been playing with Star Wars toys at an increasing pace. First some legos, then some handpicked toys from Dad's massive collection. 

I came home from work, had some pizza (and beer!) and did a crossword for the first 10 or so minutes of the move. Assessments: A) Not really my thing and b) Doing a crossword after beer (even 2 light beer with dinner) is not advised. Particularly when someone has 'helped' by writing 'zoe' in random squares throughout. It really took too long for me to realize that I hadn't done that. No, 'zoe' is not the middle part of the word solution. 

Or maybe it is.

I wasn't feeling great (I blame the visit to the indoor play 'maze' on Monday...GERMS), so I sequestered myself and watched bad tv. Compelling and bad. Perfect for a cold winter evening. 

At one point Zoe came in and put her 3 foot tall Rapunzel doll next to me and asked me to pretend it was me. I was asked to put my arm around her. 

Later, Roman came in "look what I made...." At this point I was half asleep, so I told him to show me in the morning.

He did.

He finally got in his basic set of Legos - not building an A Wing Fighter or a hovercraft.  Using his imagination instead.

So he made me and him.

Here's the thing. By the time I can get the camera ready, they're like Clark Kent and Superman: they can't be in the same place at the same time. I find Roman, I can't find me.

Me: "Roman, where am I?"

Roman: "You're right here Mom!".

Me: "No, the Lego me"

Roman: "I don't know!"

So, for the record, we have two pictures. But when if first brought it to me we had both, hand in hand. Very sweet.

1. BAzckAOBOL (peace sign, peace sign, peace sign ;)

2. (peace sign) Bo : G GiƧ

3. PiƧeƧ (peace sign, peace sign, peace sign, peace sign)

4. BiLDiNG

5. CiHiN

6. APLH treepE

Christmas 2013 at home

Who's the last one up on Christmas morning?

BUT, to be fair, who is the one who went in the top bunk with Roman when he woke up crying in the middle of Christmas morning/night to soothe him? Dad. And stayed there (and Roman slept soundly thereafter...or until 6 am).

Patiently waiting....but asking "when can we open the presents" about 5 billion times. Do I exaggerate? Only by adding 4,999,999,875 to the real number. (Did I get that right? I don't work in the billions very often)

It's a hoedown.

Or Zo down.

Thanks to Liz and Kevin.

What parent doesn't want a mini accordion for their kid (Roman, actuallly)?!

Or a horse riding Darth Vader?

By the way, Darth is for the big kid in the house, although Roman is suddenly taking an interest in all things Star Wars. He watched the movie (epidsode 4, the first one released) just last week with his Dad. Not sure there will be many surprises since a) he knows Luke and Leia are twins and b) he quotes "Luke I am your Father". But I think it meant a lot to Mike that you watched it with him. Zoe started to do so, but it was 'too loud' (just the way Dad has to watch it) and wasn't too interested. She came into the bedroom with me and chatted while I worked on the computer. When the cantina scene came up and the music played our ears perked up. For the longest time this was Dad's ringtone, so we both thought his phone was ringing. but when it dawned on me this was from the actual movie playing in the living room I told Zoe to go check it out. I know I always liked  that part, and that music was somehow compelling when I was a kid.

So there.

Zoe and her Rapunzel, much requested this season (along with a bunch of other things) and gifted to her by Grandma Candy. We'd seen this at Costco several times this year (along with Darth, above) and Zoe had her heart set on it (again, among may other things).  The other long awaited item was the horse, also in the picture. Since she got the doll to go on it, she could finally have the horse.  Roman was heavy on the Legos and Playmobil sets this year. He's a constructor.

Christmas Vacation Shenanigans (or: I couldn't think of a title)

Viewed in a magazine: "She's beautiful"

(snip, snip for her notebook journal)

Viewed on a digital kiosk at the mall ".....Mom, Mom...LOOK!" 

Source (any a very interesting site to poke around, lots of incredibly beautiful photos and illustrations by talented artists...)

Known in our house as the 'Pepsi Girl'.

Last week Zoe decided to write her a letter (as much as a 5 year old can). I think I planted the seed thinking that maybe we could figure out a way to write a note to Ms. Sofia Vergara (aka "Pepsi Girl") sometime. Sometime to the 5 year olds is typically RIGHT NOW. As I was cleaning up I found some leftover Christmas cards and blank envelopes. Zoe took a blank envelope and disappeared.  She came back with a sealed envelope (I did see strips of yellow paper at some point, likely part of the interior). She asked me to write on it. She didn't know how to tell me to address it and put a stamp on it, but she understood the concept by pointing and saying it in another way. Since we're several days out from that conversation I don't remember what she said, but I do find it amazing that we're at that level of conversing. And she's learned so much (Roman is no slouch either!). I don't know that she was happy with my hand drawn stamp, but after I wrote "To Pepsi Girl" she took it back and decorated it.

I confirmed that those are shoulders. ;)

So now, I need to figure out what to do. Zoe's pretty determined to get this in the mail. Yet I wonder about the mysterious contents, likely mysterious even when they are opened ;).